Cruising boat for a 62 and 63 year old?.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by earlgray

I do not need comfort. I am like cat, will sleep literally anywhere.

If I need comfort I would stay at my stone house with orange and lemon grove, couple of fig trees around.

Good for you.
Caves that way >>>>>>>>>>>

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by earlgray

I do not need comfort. I am like cat, will sleep literally anywhere.

If I need comfort I would stay at my stone house with orange and lemon grove, couple of fig trees around.

How nice for you...

But not relevant to the OP's search for a cruising boat. She likely does not need to know where to buy hair shirts, either.

Jim

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

How nice for you...

But not relevant to the OP's search for a cruising boat. She likely does not need to know where to buy hair shirts, either.

Jim

Buy here !!!
Buy Hairshirt

[Simi 60]

Spotted this a while ago, havent seen it and have no affiliation, but it ticks a few boxes

http://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/cookt...er-/1090428556

[TheThunderbird]

I'd like to see AGE of no or little relevance, when it gets to (serious) cruising.

With the right boat, of course.

If in doubt, check for it with Sir F.Chichester , the (ordinary) Man

[MLOI]

Originally Posted by daletournier

I would look for a modern boat, it will sail better, have more room, manoeuvre better and be less work, something like a Barvaria 36,not sure what they sell for in Oz but they are definitely cheap overseas. Just more bang for your buck.

I agree with the sentiment of go for a newer boat - it seems that once a boat hits 10 YO ish it's all about condition, not age. So $ for $ a newer boat is likely to sail better and be a better place to live.

But the Bavaria's I looked at were a little flimsy and rough around the edges. In one, I had a bit of a swing off the the handrail down below. As it flexed and groaned alarmingly, the broker yelled at me not to do that! Given how wide they are, and how few handholds there are, I was left wondering how exactly you are meant to move around below while going up wind?
Or is that my mistake - they are not meant to go upwind?

Some of the Northshore's also look OK -but again there seems to be an excessive premium attached.

Mike

[straydog4612]

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

I'd like to see AGE of no or little relevance, when it gets to (serious) cruising.

With the right boat, of course.

If in doubt, check for it with Sir F.Chichester , the (ordinary) Man

It was he who inspired me to want to sail when I was a kid in Coober Pedy whilst he circumnavigated the globe. The night I met my husband I told him of this and his thought "this is the girl for me".

[straydog4612]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

We come from a sailing background, have had them all our life until recently, but see so many people cruising on sail boats but motoring up and down the coast that we wonder why people buy them if they don't actually sail.
Cruisers without time constraints seem to wait for calm weather not conducive to making miles under sail.

Perhaps a relatively economical trawler would be a better choice?

When senility sets in I'll join you in the wide blue in my stink boat next to your stink boat, until then will just stick to canvas.

[picklesandjesse]

Originally Posted by straydog4612

It was he who inspired me to want to sail when I was a kid in Coober Pedy whilst he circumnavigated the globe. The night I met my husband I told him of this and his thought "this is the girl for me".

I remember that well. I was listening to some talkback radio show that a Sydney priest had. He wanted people to call and tell him who inspired people the most. I told him that Chichester was the person I most admired. He totally dismissed that idea. I never listened again !!!!

[john61ct]

Totally off topic, but I stayed in Coober Pedy a few days back 30 years ago on our way from Melbourne via Adelaide to the Uluru handover ceremony travelling with two little kiddies in a convoy with the Warumpi band.

Our '61 VW Beetle got two flats at once going off the main track.

Man those fellas knew how to improvise repairs, but they'd never seen aircooled before!

Ok back on track. . .

[straydog4612]

Originally Posted by daletournier

This maybe unpopular. I'm Australian and I believe Australian boats like the Martz craft are overrated and over priced, mostly no one else in the world has heard of them. I haven't looked at the Australian market in that size for sometime but I remember the likes of the Arrends(?) 33 asking prices up around 100k,just couldn't see the value. Also as someone else mentioned previously they are getting very old which often means lots of work. I just don't get it.

My last boat was a Freedom 32, I sailed with a martzcraft 35 years ago, it wasn't fitted out as nice, it wasn't as big and didn't sail as fast yet on the Australian market back then it cost 30k more!

I would look for a modern boat, it will sail better, have more room, manoeuvre better and be less work, something like a Barvaria 36,not sure what they sell for in Oz but they are definitely cheap overseas. Just more bang for your buck.

Just my opinion.

I value your opinion as you made time to respond. I have just today passed on a Martzcraft in very very good condition, mainly because you are deep inside the boat or outside, I like a more integrated connected space between cockpit and saloon if you understand what I mean.

[straydog4612]

Originally Posted by olaf hart

But completely understandable.

We have an adams 36 traditional, it’s just on the sweet spot for us, but doesn’t have the berth you are after.

We looked at Adams 40’s, 12’s and 13’s.

The 40’s are steel, not interested in the maintenance.

The 12’s are cored, it’s not balsa but the ones we saw all had core water issues. The center cockpit is too wide, it was designed for racing, so the passage to the aft cabin is more of a crawl space than a walk,space.

The 13’s are fun, but a bit tight and also have the soggy core issues. The centreboard versions are pretty tender upwind, but rockets off the wind.

The Traditional 36 is a solid glass hull and synthetic cored deck, ours was built with vinyl ester so no osmosis issues. Sails like a train, stiff with a 50%+ ballast ratio, comes with a hard dodger standard. Just look out for headroom in the main hatch for some versions, ours is fine as it has a sliding hatch in the dodger.

There was a nice Southcoast 36 at Marine Auctions last week, it’s a Roberts but so is the Martzcraft. Not sure if it sold, but the price was good.

Swanson 43 is really a motorboat with sails.

I was following that South Coast on the auction, still there on the site, but you reminded me how much I like a bit of speed. I also like comfort now, didnt matter before, but does now. The Swansons, well, I just love em as I said for no definable reason, and loving a boat allows a little compromise. My big issue is getting used to a slower pace, I know thats the point of cruising, but its good to be able to get away from some place or weather fast, so for me it is a quandry. I think with a really comfie yacht as opposed to boat, I may be able to make the compromise, but I do keep coming back to the Adams. Decisions decisions. Thanks for taking the time.

[sailorcherry]

I know what you mean for sure. That is why I am drawn to aft cockpit boats since they give you that more open, spacious feeling between cockpit and salon. Also, they often give you a much safer, shorter companionway ladder vs a cc, something to consider when aging or if you have some physical health issues.

All boats are tradeoffs. Making a three column list of must, pro and con can go a long way.

Originally Posted by straydog4612

Martzcraft in very very good condition, mainly because you are deep inside the boat or outside, I like a more integrated connected space between cockpit and saloon if you understand what I mean.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by straydog4612

When senility sets in I'll join you in the wide blue in my stink boat next to your stink boat, until then will just stick to canvas.

And motor everywhere like the majority of cruising yachties we have seen over our 40 years on the water.
Of course, you may be different.

Disappointingly even cats seem to spend a large amount of time motoring these days, watched 3 yesterday do about 8 miles downhill with not a scrap of cloth out.
Unheard of behaviour back in the day, but, perhaps 20 knots of breeze and a fair chunk of sail is a handful for some who have not had much experience but have the money to buy the dream.

As for the senility comment, we just turned 50 so I dont think we are there just yet.

[straydog4612]

You seem unhappy. Personally I dont really care how anyone uses their boat, each to their own, the important thing to me is getting out there and doing it Whatever floats your boat.